Plan to evacuate tens of thousands of people in flood-prone areas in Quynh Luu

According to the forecast of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, super typhoon MangKhut is moving fast, with a natural disaster risk level of 3-4. Particularly in Quynh Luu district, the impact of the storm's circulation is forecast to cause heavy rain and flooding on September 16 and 17.

Quynh Luu District People's Committee held a meeting to discuss storm prevention plans. Photo by Hong Dien

Therefore, at the urgent meeting, the leaders of Quynh Luu district requested the sub-committees in charge of the region to coordinate with coastal localities to mobilize 100% of offshore fishing vessels to safe storm shelters by all means. At the same time, pay attention to the flood system according to the natural disaster prevention plan; evacuate 2,500 households with more than 11,000 people in communes along the sea dike and 210 households with 2,250 people in 3 communes of Vuc Mau basin at risk of flooding. Urge people to harvest agricultural and aquaculture products; step up propaganda work on the level of danger due to the impact of the storm so that people can proactively reinforce their houses and cut down unsafe old trees.

Quynh Luu district leaders also requested localities to pay attention to communes with flooded roads and canals to coordinate with the police to block off flooded areas to ensure the safety of vehicles and people's lives. At the same time, they requested to review and inspect the implementation of the 4 on-site motto.

Immediately after the emergency meeting ended, the first working group of the district went to inspect flood prevention work in communes with weak dams, dams under construction and production situation in the west of the district.

The team inspected the safety level of Khe Gang dam, Ngoc Son commune. Photo by Hong Dien

The delegation inspected Khe Gang dam in Ngoc Son commune. This dam has a capacity of 1.4 million m3 of water, currently the water level is flowing higher than the spillway is 10 cm. The dam body basically meets the requirements, the spillway is wide so the water can drain quickly. The locality has a backup plan that is when it rains heavily and the wind is strong, they will cover the dike body with tarpaulin to prevent landslides. At the same time, to ensure the safety of 20 households, nearly 100 people in the downstream area at the end of the flow of Khe Gang dam and other dams gathered in hamlets 9 and 10, the commune has also prepared human resources and means to be ready to evacuate people to a safe place.

Next, the delegation inspected the communes of Quynh Chau, Quynh Thang, and Tan Thang. Quynh Chau commune alone currently has 385 hectares of rice, so the delegation requested the commune to direct people to take advantage of the clear weather to go to the fields to harvest rice with the motto of "green house" rather than "old field", avoiding great economic losses.

Quynh Chau has 13 dams and 7 households near the critical Dong Nen dam, so there needs to be a plan to evacuate people to a safe place. As for Tay Nguyen dam (Quynh Thang commune), the water level in the dam is currently at a safe level. However, in the coming days, heavy rain is forecast and when the water level is 40-60 centimeters higher than the spillway, the dam still has a leak in the middle of the dike with a diameter of 10 centimeters.

Inspection team at Tay Nguyen dam, Quynh Thang commune. Photo by Hong Dien

In that situation, the working group requested the People's Committee of Quynh Thang commune to monitor and inspect regularly, especially during storms and floods. If any incident occurs, promptly report to the superiors, so that timely rescue measures can be taken to protect the safety of more than 2,000 people of the commune living below the dam foot. At the same time, warn people living in low-lying areas to grasp information and raise their vigilance to proactively respond.

In Tan Thang commune, the commune's steering committee mobilized people in the summer-autumn rice fields, with over 70% of the rice crop ripening, to quickly harvest and avoid large losses in yield due to storms./.